Receptacle



Sept. 15, 1936.. ERK Y I 2,054,373

RECEPTACLE Filed March 16, 1956 INVENTOR.

BY I

6 32 Reinhmlfi VJ ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1936 RECE Reinhold V. Erk,

PTACLE Wayncsville, N. 0.

Application March 16, 1936, Serial No. 69,199

9 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacles and more particularly toreceptacles adapted to contain game accessories, such as decks ofplaying cards,

score cards and pencil, and other articles gen-.

5 erally found upon bridge tables and the like. 7

The principal object of the invention is to provide a receptacle of thisclass, having a bodily removable closure containing pockets which areadapted to carry articles, such as decks of play- 10 ing cards, theclosure having a handle disposed in such a position that the articleswill not slip, accidentally, from said pockets, when the closure isbeing removed from the receptacle.

Another object is to provide a handle for a closure, as last described,which will enable the closure to be disposed at an angle when theclosure is removed and placed upon a suitable surface, with the innerface of the closure uppermost.

Still another object is to provide a receptacle for the purposes setout, which includes a closure having at least a pair of pockets, eachadapted to contain articles found upon bridge tables and the like, suchas playing cards, and which articles may be removed from one pocket orthe other pocket by tilting said closure.

Still another object is to provide a receptacle of the class described,which includes a closure having pockets, the pockets being so arrangedas to enable the user to easily observe the articles within them, whenthe closure is turned, with its under face uppermost.

Another object is to provide pockets as just described, which enable theuser to readily and selectively remove articles therefrom.

Yet another object is to provide a closed receptacle for gameaccessories, which receptacle is easy to manipulate, compact and sturdyin construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andin which drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the closure of the novel receptacle,removed from the receptacle, tilted and resting upon a handle portion,the closure carrying a game accessory.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through said receptaclelongitudinally, showing other game accessories contained therein.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken transversely through the novelreceptacle.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section showing stop means at the forwardportion of said 010- sure.

In the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred embodiment of theinvention, and wherein similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter Adesignates generally the novel receptacle, comprising a container B anda 'clo-" sure C, while the letters D, E, and F designate examples ofaccessories disposed therein.

The container B of the novel receptacle A may have upstandingparalleling side walls 6 and I and similar end walls 8 and 9, all ofwhich walls may be beveled as at ID. The container B also includes abottom I I, which may be of laminated construction as shown in Figures 2and 3, and it may have a plurality of. feet 12, preferably disposed atthe corners of the container and upon the lower face of the bottom 9.These walls 6' and I, 8 and 9, and bottom ll define a chamher [3.

For the purpose of better defining the invention, the portion of thecontainer B, designated the wall 6, may be termed the forward portion,

since it may be considered as the portion nearest a person opening thenovel receptacle. The opposite portion of the container B, designated asl5, may be termed the rearward portion. Consequently, the side wall 6may be likewise termed the forward side wall and the side wall I may betermed the rearward side wall. These designations are adopted to betterexplain the operation of the closure with respect to the container,since the walls 6 and 1 are, preferably, substantially alike and it isimmaterial when the closure C is not in place upon the container B,which is the forward wall or rearward wall.

The mouth of the container B opens upwardly and, preferably, has thesame length and width as the length and width of the chamber 13.

As for the closure C, the same may include a cover member [6 having anupper or outer face [1, a lower or under face It, side edges l9 and20,'and end edges 2| and 22. The inner face l8 may be rabbeted so as toprovide a raised central portion 23 spaced from the side and end edgesH! to 22.

' The side edge 19 may be defined as the forward I the cover member I 6and at no place in the specification and claims is the portion adjacentthe side edge to be regarded as the forward portion.

Extending upwardly from the upper face H of the closure C is a suitablehandle portion or finger piece 25. In the preferred construction, thishandle extends parallel with the side edges l9 and 20, may have a pairof opposite recesses 26 to enable the operator to grasp the handle morereadily, and as shown in Figure 2, the handle portion is quitesubstantial as to length. It is essential that this handle portion 25 bedisposed nearest the forward side edge I 9 rather than near the sideedge 20, nor should it be disposed, as are conventional handles, at thecenter of the cover. Neither is it desirable that this handle portion 25be directly adjacent the forward edge |9. As an example, in. a covermembers 4 inches from one side edge to the otlierside edge, the centerof the handle portion,

may be substantially 1%, inches from the forward side edge, althoughthis distance may vary somewhat.

. Projecting from the lower or under face |8 of V the closure C, ismeans to removably carry articles associated with the playing of games,such tral portion 23 of the cover member.

- Figure 1.

as decks of conventional playing cards, or articles usually found uponbridge tablesan-d the like. The means comprisespreferably, a pair ofpocket portions 21, extending over the raised cen- Each pocket portion2'! has a mouth 28 which opens towardsthe vertical plane of the forwardside edge l9, and, when the closure is in place, closing the containerB, the mouth 28 opens toward the forward side wall 6 of the container B.

The pocket portions 21 have like walls 29, which may comprise memberssubstantially L- shaped in cross section, as shown in Figure 2, adjacentand paralleling the end edges 2| and 22 of the closure C. Preferably thewall 30 of each pocket portion, partly facing the walls 29, may

comprise a member substantially T-shaped in vide two substantiallyL-shaped walls. As shown,

one portion of each wall 29 and 30 extends normal to .the face l8 Whilethe other portions of each wall parallel this face l8 and extend towardan adjacent like portion. It will be noted in Figures 2 and 3 that thewalls 29 and 30 fall short of the bottom ll of the container B.

An abutment 3| is provided at the bottom of the pocket portion 21, thisbeing, preferably, a short length of suitable material attached to theend of the wall 30 and extending toward the walls 29 but falling shortthereof, as maybe seen in Preferably, there are no abutments attached tothe walls 29.

Referring again to the pocket portions21, they may be slightly widerthan the width of an article D placed therein, so that a novel stop 32may be provided, attached to the end of the wall at the mouth 28. Thisstop 32 may extend over a portion of the mouth 28 and towards the walls29 but the extent to which it closes either mouth is, preferably, small.That is, the distance from an end of this stop 32 to the inner face ofthe nearest 'wall 29-is at leastas great or slightly greater'than thewidth of an article to be carried in a pocket portion 21, for a reasonexplained later in this specification.

As a supplemental or the sole means to assist the user in removing theclosure with the edge l9 uppermost, the wall 1 may be provided with asocket 33 as shown in Figure 3, to cooperate with a projection 34extending from the abutment 3|, substantially as shown in Figure 1.

The various portions of the novel receptacle A may be secured togetherin any suitable way or combination of ways such as glued, soldered, ornailed, or the container B and closure C may be moulded. It is preferredthat the inner surface of the pocket portions 21 be smooth, so thatarticles placed therein may be removed more readily.

In use, articles such as the game accessories .E and F may be disposedin the chamber l3 and other articles such as D may be placed within thepockets carried by the closure C.

With the handle portion 25 offset, when it is grasped and drawnupwardly, the closure C will tilt at once, with the edge 20 lowermost,since the center of gravity of the closure is nearer the edge 29 than isthe handle portion 25. Consequently, the articles D in the pocketportions 21 will not slide out accidentally, as is frequently the casewhen pockets are provided for a bodily removable receptacle closure,having a handle portion placed at the conventional place, as heretoforeset forth. 'Now, when the closure Cis bodily removed from the containerB, the former may be turned over, with the face l8 uppermost anddisposed upon a suitable surface, such as a table top, so that theclosure takes an lip-tilted position upon the handle portion 25 and theside edge 20. The closure will not readily rock upon the handle portion25 since it is disposed to one side of the center of gravity of theclosure C and farther from the side edge 20' than the side edge Thus itwill be seen that the handle portion.

If the-stop 32 be employed, it will prevent both articles in the pocketportions 21 from being ejected when it is desired to remove only one ofthese articles. That is, one method to remove either one of the articlesD is to tilt the closure so that either end edge 2| or 22 is lowermost(depending upon which of these end edges is nearest the article to beremoved) and then tilting the closure so that the mouths of -thepockets-are lowermost. article D which is intended to be removed, tofirst travel by gravity towards the lowermost end edge 2| or 22 until itis brought up against the wall 29 and, consequently, clears the stop 32.On the other hand, the article D not intended to be removed will alsotravel by gravity toward the lowermost end edge 2| or 22 until it isstopped by the wall 30. However, it will then be partly behind the stop32 so that, while the first article will. slip readily from its pocketportion when the mouths of the pocket portions are lowermost, thesecondarticle will be stopped by the stop 32. It has'been found unnecessary toprovide an abutment, like the abutment 3|, at the .ends of. the walls29, the abutment 3| sufiicing to prevent the articles in the pocketportions 21 from sliding out of the bottomsof the pockets.

By the open construction provided for the pockets, the articles thereinare seen plainly when This first-movement will cause the- I claim:

,1. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, a container including a forward portion and having amouth opening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for said mouth,said closure having an outer face and an inner face, with a handleportion extending upwardly from said outer face .and disposed forwardlyof the center of gravity of said closure, said closure also having meansupon its inner face to removably carry articles associated with theplaying of games as aforesaid.

' 2. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, a container including a forward portion and having amouth opening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for said mouth,said closure having an outer face and an inner face, with a handleportion extending upwardly from said outer face and disposed forwardlyof the center of gravity of said closure, said closure also having apocket portion extending from said inner face, with the mouth of saidpocket portion opening towards said forward portion when said closurecloses said container.

' 3. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, and including smooth surfaced articles, such as playingcards, a container including a forward portion and having a mouthopening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for said mouth, saidclosure having an outer face and an inner face, a forward portion and arearward portion, with a handle portion extending upwardly from saidouter face and disposed upon said forward portion of said closure, saidclosure having means upon its inner face to removably carry articles,such as stacked playing cards, said means including a pocket portionwith its mouth disposed forwardly of the center of gravity of saidclosure and opening towards said forward portion of said container whensaid receptacle is closed by said closure.

4. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, and including smooth surfaced articles, such as playingcards, a container including a forward portion and having a mouthopening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for said mouth, saidclosure having an outer face and an inner face, a forward portion and arearward portion, with a handle portion extending upwardly from saidouter face and disposed upon said forward portion of said closure, saidclosure having means upon its inner face to removably carry articles,such as stacked playing cards, said means including a pocket portionwith its mouth disposed forwardly of the center of gravity of saidclosure and opening towards said forward portion of said container whensaid receptacle is closed by said closure, the center of gravity of saidclosure being at substantially the intersection of its longitudinal andtransverse axes, whereby when said closure is raised by drawing saidhandle portion upwardly, said closure will tilt with its forward portionextending upwardly and said articles in said pocket portion will notslide by gravity therefrom and when said closure is disposed upon asubstantially flat, horizontal surface, with the inner face of saidclosure outermost, said closure will remain tilted with its rearwardportion lowermost.

5. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, and including smooth surfaced articles, such as playingcards, a container including a forward portion and having a mouthopening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for 'said mouth, saidclosure having an outer face and'an inner face;

a forward portion provided with a substantially straight forward edge, arearward portion provided with a rearward edge, and with a handleportion extending upwardly from said outer face and disposed nearer saidforward edge than said rearward edge, said closure having means upon itsinner face to removably carry articles, such as stacked playing cards,said. means including a pocket portion with its mouth disposed adjacentsaid-forward edge and opening towards said forward portion of saidcontainer when said receptacle is closed by said closure, the center ofgravity of said closure being at substantially the intersection of itslongitudinal and transverse axes, whereby when said closure'is raised bydrawing said handle portion upwardly, said'closure will tilt with itsforward portion upwardly and said articles in said pocket portion willnot slide by gravity therefrom, and when said closure is disposed upon asubstantially flat, horizontal surface, with the inner face of saidclosure outer most, said closure will remain tilted with its rearwardportion lowermost.

6. In a receptacle for articles associated with the playing of games,such as bridge, and including smooth surfaced articles, such as playingcards, a container including a forward portion and having a mouthopening upwardly, and a bodily removable closure for said mouth, saidclosure having an outer face and an inner face, a forward portionprovided with a substantially straight forward edge, a rearward portionprovided with a rearward edge, with a handle portion extending upwardlyfrom said outer face and disposed nearer said forward edge than saidrearward edge, said handle portion being disposed upon substantially themedial line of said closure extending from such forward edge to saidrearward edge thereof, said closure having means upon its inner face toremovably carry articles, such as stacked playing cards, said meansincluding a pocket portion with its mouth disposed adjacent said forwardedge and opening towards said forward portion of said container whensaid receptacle is closed by said closure, the center of gravity of saidclosure being at substantially the intersection of its longitudinal andtransverse axes, whereby when said closure is raised by drawing saidhandle portion upwardly, said closure will tilt with its forward portionupwardly and said articles in said pocket portion will not slide bygravity therefrom, and when said closure is disposed upon asubstantially flat, horizontal surface, with the inner face of. saidclosure outermost, said closure will remain tilted with its rearwardportion lowermost.

7. In a receptacle of the class described and adapted to carry bridgetable accessories, such as stacked playing cards, a container includinga front wall and a rear wall having a chamber and a mouth openingupwardly therefrom, said rear wall having a recess opening into saidchamber, a closure for said mouth, said closure having a face facingsaid chamber when said mouth is closed, means carried by said closure toremovably carry a bridge table accessory, such as a stacked deck ofconventional playing cards, including a pocket portion havingparalleling side walls, said pocket portion extending from said face,and provided with an abutment at the end of one of said side walls, saidabutment facing said rear wall when said mouth is closed by saidclosure, and said abutment having a projection extending into saidrecess when said mouth is IU ing side edges, means carried by saidclosure to removably carry a bridge table accessory, such as a stackeddeck of, conventional playing cards, including a. pocket portion havingparalleling side walls extending from inwardly, of one of said edges toinwardly .of the other of said'edges, said pocket portions extendingfrom said face with the width of-said pocket portions being greater thanthe width of said accessory, and the length of. said side walls being atleast as great as the length of said accessory, a stop extending acrossa portion of said mouth to one side wall of said pocket portion towardsthe opposite side wall, the distance from the free end of said stop tothe inner face of said opposite side wall being at least'as great as thewidth of said accessory.

9. In a receptacle of. the class described and adapted to carry bridgetable accessories, such as stacked playing cards, a container having achamber and a mouth opening upwardly, a closure for said mouth, saidclosure having a face facing said chamber when said mouth: is%.clos"edby. said closure, said closure also having paralleling side edges, meanscarried by said closure-to removably carry a bridge table accessory,such as a stacked deck of conventional playing cards, in-

cluding a pair .of spaced apart wall members, substantially L-shaped incross section, depending from said face andextending from adjacent oneof said edges to adjacent the otherrof. said edges, with like portionsof said wall members disposed normal to said face and the other likeportions of said wall members extending towardseach other, the distancebetween the facing surfaces of said first named like portion beinggreaterthan the width of a. conventional playingcard, the nearestdistance between said last named like portion being less than the widthof. a con-,- ventional playing card, one of, said wall members beingprovided with an abutment at the end.

thereof nearest one of said edges and extending towards the oppositelike wall, said abutment falling short of said last named wall, and astop

